Guild Wars 2

^ What is representative then? Fan-boy’s reassurance that all is fine and we should either l2p or go back to WoW?

I can soundly say, without reading the OP, you should stick with a mesmer, guardian or a thief. You can’t go wrong.

@ Plague:

very well said. The definite proof that things have gone from wrong to worse is the GRAPH in GW2 player activity. The numbers are plunging and FAST.

So the fan-boys can come up with any excuses they want, the fact is that the player-base is less and less active. Maybe they consider themselves the true base, and the rest, 80% of people who stopped playing the game or are rarely logging-in are just collateral damage, and they should go back to WoW?

Good for Blizzard, in that case.

I do miss consequences in GW2. Be it regarding death of the toon, or generally through the game. Everything is too easy, there is no risk, there are no challenges.

Shared nodes are stupid. Dungeon GY zergs are stupid. Downed state is stupid. GW2 generally being too casual as it is is – stupid.

Again, I tend to repeat this often: GW2 HAS potential. ANet’s mistake is trying (and succeeding) to make it casual.

Of course, casuals will disagree with this, often by representing themselves NOT being casual, but talking for the greater good of other people. xD

Painking.4703:

Have games been getting progressively easier throughout the years? No doubt. Is this a bad thing? Not at all.

It’s bad. It’s very, VERY bad.

I’m not giving ANet another dime until they make my already spent 60$ worth. Fix the game. I’m not buying expansions/gems/stuff until then.

Facts:

1) The game mechanics are stupid and broken. Insta-killing mobs/bosses and extremely large HP pools don’t make contents satisfyingly-difficult, only frustrating and irritating;

2) Even so, the game is too easy. Just did TA explorable forward-forward with no wipes in 1 hour and 5 minutes. The trick was to separate the knights on the boss fight and take them down one by one. If that was a glitch, and the fight would actually have to take place with all the mobs at the same time it would be impossible. Not hard, not challenging, impossible.

We need the whole mechanics reworked from the ground up.

Edit: oh and the downed state is the worst “feature” I’ve ever seen in a game. In PvP and PvE. It’s horrible, and the fact the game is balanced around it is sad. That’s one of the reasons (not the only reason though) that all encounters suck.

Vivisector.5680:

No your not to old for gaming. Your just trying to get more out of the story then what is there. This is a huge problem for MMO’s and FPS games. You may find some intriguing stories in the odd single player games but they are few and far between.

The only purpose of the Storyline is to try to stand out from every other MMO out there with their static quests that every single player gets no matter their race/background/occupation ect. It’s also a tool to be used for the Role players to give their character a sense of their backstory, although they all end in the character becoming a superhero that saves the day. I guess the Role players wouldn’t like it at all if there character failed at slaying the dragon and ends the story as a nobody living in a back alley addicted to sniffing fairydust while having flashbacks of all the creatures/people they killed on their attempted quest for greatness .

Play the video games for the simple entertainment value they give you, and for the virtual “friends” you make along the way. When your in the mood for a deep story, go find a book.

I wonder, why do companies like ANet even waste resources, for instance, on the story if they don’t intend to make it SOLID. Good, intriguing. It’s better to leave it out all together, than to have a bad one.

Rouven.7409:

Well … honestly, how old are you if you haven’t read Asimov yet. Furthermore if you haven’t read it how do you know what maturity level it is for? This is of course besides the fact that I can’t remember Asimov having written a fantasy, I considered them all science fiction?

Just take it as light literature, same as those westerns where the first guy had to be shot on page 7, high-noon on page 32 – you know.

Please do define the “challenge” a bit more that you are seeking, I am intrigued where the bar is for that compared to a Dostoyevsky, in computer-game terms I mean.

Edit: Btw – just poking a bit of fun here, don’t want it to come across the wrong way. I’m at a stage where most stories don’t surprise me anymore, the medium (movies, books etc) does not matter. There are only so many core stories and variances off. As long as it’s told good (or the effects in the movie are good) I’m happy. Personally I don’t need to read a Kafka, but I’m not sure that part has anything to do with age.

I’ve read almost all the books written by Asimov. Just that I wouldn’t mind reading them once again.

It was just for making apoint.

^ Agree with Solar Nova. Games are way too easy, we definitely need them harder.

I was laughing so hard last night. My guildies always go forward up, or up up TA explorable. So I suggested we should go forward forward. After like 15 minutes of arguing with them I managed to convince them, despite their warnings it’s “INSANELY HARD MAN, THAT PATH IS HELL!!1”.

So we did it in 1 hour 5 minutes, NO WIPES. Now, I know I’m just THAT GOOD, but still…

The problem is that the definition of difficult, in ANet’s eyes, is wrong. I know I mentioned dungeons in the DE sub-forum, but it was about difficulty, so…

We really need hard stuff, and we aren’t getting it nearly enough from GW2 at this moment.

@ RaZaC

Wow, you are 19 and already feel you’ve overgrown the story in question. I am over 30… Guess I got my answer. It’s not me, it’s really the story.

@ eladox

Bravo! Bluntly, but well put. There is no reason to beat around the bush.

^ Good for you. Lucky guy with a quality threshold so low, you rarely get disappointed do you?

I consider it a blessing.

This question naturally arises – seeing how I find the story in GW2 beyond naive and predictable. It’s one huge cliche. At the same time, I see people intrigued by it.

So I wonder – am I too old for video game stories? Maybe they are tailored for the younger folks. I feel like I’ve heard it all before.

Is it time for me to start reading Dostoyevsky and Isaac Asimov in order to find “a challenge” for my intellect/level of maturity?

OP expressed my feelings too, through his post. GW2 is lacking, a lot. We expected a blast, but instead got a over-glorified mediocre breeze.

GW2 CAN become much more than it is atm, but the developing team really has to change it’s philosophy and priorities.

GW2 is too streamlined and linear at the moment. I agree with your suggestion. ANet needs to put a lot of work into this game still.

It has the potential to be, but it fails horribly at it. It’s not even “the decent game of the year”. Such paradox.

If ANet improves on GW2 like a no dev has before improved on any game in the history of the mankind – it might. For the next year, they missed this train.

You are asking the wrong question. The MMO part is not (THAT) important. Although it is a bit, I’ll get back to it after I tell you this.

It’s the RPG (as in MMO*RPG*) part that matters, as it is based on progression and personalization. Always has been.

Also, the MMO part is not far off either – in the world where a mass of players participates, people like to compare themselves against others and excell – or at least work their butts off to succeed in that intention.

So arguing against progression/customization in an MMORPG genre is like raising a question why we have a ball as a part of a soccer game.

aleiro.8521:

A-NET good job guys, I know you guys are constantly working on the game. DR system has worked fine for me, no bugs and full rewards until now. This will also keep the economy healthier, giving more value to in-game gold, which means you have done this at the expense of reducing your income through gems. I know a lot of people don’t see this but I did, and I think you guys are awesome for it.

Good that you are punishing people using exploits.

Good that you have reduced the total play time to get a full set by increasing the rewards for completing a dungeon. Now it feels like it will be a lot less of a grind to get.

Good that you are making people experience the whole game. I love it, and I know there are many others who also love it.

See you in-game!

Why don’t we just receive full sets of armor after completing the story mode just once, and we do the dungeons after that for “fun”? That would make the armor sets so unique and epic – seeing every guy running around in the same set like you do, knowing it took little to no effort to get it.

Hooray, customization. Not. Really? What’s the point of introducing REWARDS if they don’t feel like rewards, and anyone can get them in no time?

Logic missing here.

wookie slayer.4259:

Dungeons are too easy please quit saying there hard, I have 5 full grinded dungeons pieces from 4 dungeons, and they were all easy, and that was before the 60 tokens bump up(all with pugs). If you got lumped in with the only 4 people on the server that cant handle the dungeon ditch them find a new group, and plow the place like everyone else

This is true – dungeons ARE too easy. And the way ANet is trying to make them “difficult” is just wrong.

It’s like not letting your kid go to school because you don’t want it to get an F, instead of making him study for the A. They just picked the wrong concept from the very start.

@ Robert:

don’t you think that a better solution might be making dungeons “naturally” impossible to complete in 10 (ten. TEN.) minutes, repeatedly? Seriously, make more interesting, more difficult dungeons. But you have to change your understanding of “difficult” – it should not be random, zerg encounters, one shotting mobs, infinite mob HP pools etc.

Make more complex, more interesting mechanics which requires synchronized play. And don’t tell me that it does at the moment, been clearing TA exp with my guild and pugs alike for days, no one does anything special other that randomly using skills when off cool-down.

I guess you CAN simulate sync-play but in reality, you really don’t have to.

Make dungeons so that they require at least an hour to complete, and MONTHS to “crack” and master. You are doing it wrong at the moment.

I agree. I’m all in favor of the chance-to-drop system that is mob specific. Tokens – too predictable and boring, stripped of any fun or surprise factor.

I agree with the OP. His very title sums my feelings about the dungeons in GW2.

Mechanics are shallow to non existent, bosses are boring and easy. Just – argh…

Honestly, the blossoms are just annoying. That’s all. Killing them for the rally – not the worthy tradeoff. Drastically reduce their spawn times. Or better yet remove them completely. What are they for – tab-targeting and range attacks just for the sake of it?

This goes under the “overhaul dungeon dynamics please, replace these cheap ones with some that are actually fun and worth seeing” rant I’ve been supporting all over the forums.

Llywellyn.4635:

would be nice if a dev could actually respond to this
to allow us to know if this is even possibile or not

Indeed. This is the place where we need a confirmation and the dialogue. Not semi-irrelevant topics with little to no impact on the game play.

Devs?

Well, if the crowd (the PAYING crowd) asks so persistently for something that is more than obviously better than what we have offered at the moment, ANet should – following healthy logic – listen and start improving on what they started.

GW2 has potential, but it won’t build by itself.

Why is it that the devs usually respond to some low-priority, casual, not-that-important threads but successfully avoid threads that point to burning issues?

We are not asking for you to answer all our prayers right this moment, but just let us know you are with us on this one. Show your presence and interest in the important sections of the forums.

Don’t comment on bacon, for God’s sake.

So, the carrot… It’s missing.

“LF a wife, must be Charr, outgoing, athletic. Blondes and those exceptionally fluffy have the advantage. Come to the forge for inspect.” :P

That feature would compliment the home-instance well, but would be nice to have additional “things about it” other than just… Well, being there.

I wouldn’t like that one bit. I kinda like the uniqueness that each dungeon = specific armor offers.

What OP suggests would lead to further watering down of the game, and GW2 needs exactly the opposite. DEPTH. Diversity. Complexity.

Not free4all crap.

Edit: I do agree that the dungeons need lots of work, though. They are chaotic and not fun, not fun at all.

To clear things up: I vote for roles/trinity not because the dungeons are hard. I vote the way I vote because dungeons are BORING the way they are at the moment.

The current system promotes chaos and spam.

Algreg.3629:

Homer: made for Kids. Arthurian legend: made for kids. Gilgamesh epos: made for kids. You are right, our culture really only began with the Punisher and the Crow.

Whose culture? Not mine, I am neither American nor British (though I believe both films originated from the US, not quite sure).

I am not talking short-term shallow blockbuster movies and plots. I am talking Isaac Asimov level (level mind you, not style). I am talking original, innovative, unpredicted, well thought through stories and plots.

If I have to make a popular TV show reference in order to clear things up – the TV remake of Battlestar Galactica was a pretty good mix of popular/instant/recycled plot and originality, featuring fairly gritty/mature atmosphere. Mix of plenty of philosophical questions/dilemmas which often arise for those who are able to spot them, emotions etc.

I was shocked to see that I had to pay for repairs in WvWvW. It just makes no sense at all.

+1 for no repairs on my behalf too

Yes, I too wish it had more “darkness”/soul in it’s core. Everything is too Merry-go-Round, pride, justice, honor, blah blah blah… It’s a game made for kids. Simple as that.

AvalonBright.6957:

Scourge.4317:

No, really now people in this genre scream and shout about not wanting clone #131344 and when they finally get one that actually tries to be different some of you do you best to try and change it into yet another clone. Then you scream about how its nothing but a clone and abandon the game. Honestly what the kitten is going on!

Where did I say I wanted a clone? I love the gameplay of GW for the most part, I love the weapon swapping, I love the jumping puzzles and vista/discovery-hunting, I love the crafting (other than actually grinding mats for it…). I don’t want another WoW or I’d still be playing WoW, not have quit shortly after Tier 11.

The problem is you thinking Trinity = clone. Roles exist in games for a reason. MOBAs have roles, SHOOTERS have roles, etc. Again, I really believe that ANet went too far in the other direction trying to stand out and be different, to the point of fixing things that aren’t broken.

In many fan polls I’ve seen on other sites as well, many of the highest voted options on “What do you think is missing?” are “Class roles/the Trinity.” MANY people besides myself think, now that the lack of roles has been seen in earnest, that ANet dropped the ball with this one.

Ideally they could make each class be ABLE to fulfill any role in certain unique ways—make Thief a Dodge/Mobility/Evasion tank instead of armor-clad, etc. I feel like that would increase the pool of players taking these roles instead of the “If you want to tank, be one of two classes” mentality.

But without roles, every dungeon IS a zergfest with no direction at all. The lack of aggro mechanics is probably the worst offender, but the entire situation is a mess.

…And proof of this is the fact the team is more concerned with me using the company name in my topic title and Infracting me for a perfectly valid post instead of realizing there’s an issue. Good lord.

I agree man. The trinity wasn’t a bad thing. It’s NICE to not having to wait for tanks or healers, but the trade-off is much worse. As you said, it’s a zerg-fest. It’s horrible. There are no mechanics whatsoever. Mobs hit too fast, too hard, have huge HP pools, but they lack any interesting combat mechanics. IMO give us LESS mobs in packs, but more intelligent, with different stuff they do.

I won’t quote or address every single thing you said, but you were completely right on all your points.

The greatness is being able to admit you made a mistake. The efficiency – fixing the mistake. If no trinity is what’s standing in the way of having decent mechanics in dungeons, then by all means, bring it back.

Martiger.8920:

The Shatterer is one of the best looking fights ever seen! But so easy I’m so disappointed with him after seen him for years on Youtube and then finally fight him but he was almost dead before it started Ppl ignore tactics and only nuke him down instant. Tequatl have the same problem. Sometimes a little random mob at the same level as you are harder -.- Let us fail to kill him sometimes? The more epic it is to take him down. Give them a hearty buff and a random spawn timer instead of 3 hours. It will take away the camping and also the spam “Timer on dragon? Please!” Ofc I love the game anyway

How on Earth is that the best fight ever seen? I think exactly the opposite, it’s one of the worst ever. PLUS it’s too easy.

And enough with “oh but I love the game”, you don’t need an excuse to criticize something that is beyond awful. I, for an example, see the potential in GW2, but it has to be REALIZED in practice otherwise it’s no use.

Those who deny what I said – can you deny that GW2 degraded character progression, degraded rewards (which ANet admitted themselves and are working on atm), degraded complexion and depth of the game play (just look at the forum complaints)?

After you answer the first question, answer this: aren’t all those things the essence of the RPGs? Let me unravel that shortcut into it’s full name – Role Playing Game". Look back at the genre history, and think of what made it great.

It’s like making basketball look more and more like soccer, at the same time claiming you’re a huge basketball fan.

First and foremost – the “story” is really predictable and boring. Yes, it’s like it’s been written for Elementary School grade children. It’s naive. How about some better plots, with unpredictable twists and turns where we can make choices which will drastically differ in the way they impact our game?

Second – upon finishing our personal story, depending on the choices we made, each class could expand their selection of skills per weapon they could choose from.

For instance, as a warrior: if I chose to be the “bad guy” my auto attack can either apply poison or it could apply weakness. We get to choose one. Just talking randomly, to give you an idea of what my idea was, it’s in no way thought out suggestion (skill-effects wise).

We need more skill choices, and we need more impact from the story we finish and the choices we make. Combine the two – win.

Amirite?

Keep posting here. Any acknowledgement from the ANet would be super awesome – in terms of “we like (insert suggestion here), it MIGHT be possible to add this later on”.

Edit: this is the topic that should be pinned, imo, because it shows the compilation way more clearly than it is the case with the current pinned one.

It’s the truth, it continues to be this way throughout the game. And yes, something has to be done about it.

I see the FPS generation digz teh gw2 “mmorpg” simplicity and shallownes. Awesome.

The real mmorpg crowd likes mmorpgs for their complexity, progression and rewards. All three things missing from gw2.

Oh-oh, the Battlefield 3 just got a competitor!

Mounts SHOULD be added, and OF COURSE they should have a speed boost. Why the heck not?

Plus, let us drive those awesome vehicles in WvWvW!

Oh boy, I couldn’t agree more.

In addition – how about some more complex mechanics in general?

PvP being separate from PvE – the worst thing about GW2. And I don’t mean just the fact you can’t wear your PvP gear outside the Mists (which IS annoying).

I mean the lack of any world PvP.

Just to counter the “WvWvW is world PvP” nonsenses – it’s not.

“GankSinatra.2653

sharks, lords, auto balance, underwater combat, burst, retaliation, haste, mesmers, guardians, 5 minute wait in tournies, cant duel while waiting, 10 second cc, bugged tournament chests, bugged skills, ‘its not OP you can dodge it’, ‘its not OP you just cant deal with it yet’, endless loading screens, magically removing conditions while touching the waters surface, magically going immune while touching the waters surface, lagspikes, bugged traits, downed state, imbalanced downed states, multiple classes with 1 shot abilties with lower cooldown than the 10 sec dodge regen, stupid scoring system, only 20% boost from winning, zerging in wvw, zerging in 8v8, one shotting trebs, cannons, release feeling worse than beta weekends, just a handful of maps, no arena like GW1, general lack of pvp attention from devs."

Right on spot man, I just had to quote you. RIGHT ON SPOT!

YES, YES! OP, may God bless you and your friends for doing ANet’s job. Unfortunately you won’t get paid for it, but if by any chance you do succeed in your intentions, we’ll have one good game to play.

Will you try and raise the question of PvP servers where I can attack those pesky Asuras on sight?

Drakos.3456:

It bothers me, and many others that when dual wielding two one handed weapons your auto attack will only use one. This bothers me because the character then lacks the aesthetics of attacking with two weapons, damage output compared to a 2h sword or hammer which hits for a considerable amount of damage, while i would be wielding two one handed weapons but only using one. My point is i would like to see auto attack incorporate both weapons upon dual wielding this problem has caused me to stir into 2h sword instead of dual wielding which i would prefer to do.

Exactly, good points. I’ve been feeling the same way about that issue. Hopefully we’ll be able to TRULY dual wield sometime soon.

It’s fun for me to be rewarded and progress my character in the end game. Can I have my fun too, while you are having yours?

I agree completely. GW2 NEEDS end game progression in various ways. This is ESSENTIAL. A must.

I agree with the OP. Swinging my axe or casting my spell should be possible while jumping. Would speed the combat up, would feel more responsive and most importantly – would be more fun.